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cali

(114,904 posts)
18. Bernie really, really gets this demographic and dynamic. here's why
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 10:52 AM
Oct 2013

Lots of folks think of Vermont as some quaint, groomed liberal, pastoral well to do place. Yes, there is that. And then there's The Kingdom- The Northeast Kingdom. It's rural and ragged and poor. It's inhabitants scrape by on logging, dairy farming and working at the Ethan Allen Mill for shit wages. (there's also a lot of recent innovation which is exciting). The denizens of the Kingdom are less educated than most Vermonters. They're more conservative (even though, yes, they voted in every town for Obama in 2008 and 2012- but Bernie can take a fair amount of credit for that too). The Kingdom was the epicenter of the "Take Back Vermont" movement that sprung up during our battles over civil unions over a decade ago.

Anyway, even conservatives here (we don't register by party in Vermont) vote for Bernie. Why? For one thing, Bernie has tirelessly held town meeting for years and years. The kind where he really communicates and listens and then everyone eats potluck. He focuses on economic, not social issues. He has long shied away from gun control issues and that's hugely important. sorry, but it is. People here really do cling to their guns.

Howard Dean gets this too. The Kingdom has been a valuable learning experience for Vermont politicians and what they learned is translatable to the rural south.

The last time we won both houses hootinholler Oct 2013 #1
+1 jsr Oct 2013 #3
The "50 state strategy" is what I first thought of when I saw this too........ socialist_n_TN Oct 2013 #4
That's absolutely right. LuvNewcastle Oct 2013 #9
Economic rights and the idea that the government shouldn't intrude bigbrother05 Oct 2013 #19
I'm not suggesting that we abandon our positions on civil rights LuvNewcastle Oct 2013 #42
Totally support what you are saying. truedelphi Oct 2013 #53
This is one of the real kind of reasons the wealthy want to OWN all parties nolabels Oct 2013 #58
This is why even the petit bourgeoisie should not support capitalism..... socialist_n_TN Oct 2013 #92
down there Chaco Dundee Oct 2013 #24
Exactly! Many of my husband's high school friends are working class whites and they vote repub anneboleyn Oct 2013 #45
The Democratic Party became a Wall-Street Party for one reason: Volaris Oct 2013 #70
You assume that shoveling money creates victory for the shoveler but facts do Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #85
It depends on the local electorate Trekologer Oct 2013 #90
but they are just another wall street party. nt tomp Oct 2013 #75
Yes, and we also might win some... prairierose Oct 2013 #32
Might win some in the West? The entire West Coast is Blue, all Senators, Governors Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #86
Yes, the west coast is blue, but... prairierose Oct 2013 #95
We All Thought The Same Thing DallasNE Oct 2013 #41
I agree. LuvNewcastle Oct 2013 #43
+One Million tsuki Oct 2013 #5
What you said MsLeopard Oct 2013 #6
Absolutely! Le Taz Hot Oct 2013 #8
I started donating to DNC when Dean became chair. eridani Oct 2013 #61
This. ^^^ CrispyQ Oct 2013 #11
Not exactly true-- Jackpine Radical Oct 2013 #15
OMFG! hootinholler Oct 2013 #21
Exactly right. nt Doremus Oct 2013 #27
+1 leftstreet Oct 2013 #38
+1 uponit7771 Oct 2013 #62
This still sticks in my craw vi5 Oct 2013 #77
yup justabob Oct 2013 #2
The Democrats need to have a presence in EVERY state Le Taz Hot Oct 2013 #7
That's right, you have to enter the race in order to win it. LuvNewcastle Oct 2013 #10
I like how an Independent is the one trying to save the Democratic Party ChangeUp106 Oct 2013 #12
Hell yeah, Senator Sanders! Rebellious Republican Oct 2013 #13
And you have a pretty good champion to rally around. Jackpine Radical Oct 2013 #16
Thanks JP! Rebellious Republican Oct 2013 #44
K & R Thinkingabout Oct 2013 #14
Not just Congressional seats, there is a need to focus on State Houses and state legislatures. Fla Dem Oct 2013 #17
NO shit! The ALEC brigade can subvert many federal programs hootinholler Oct 2013 #22
I agree secondvariety Oct 2013 #74
Bernie really, really gets this demographic and dynamic. here's why cali Oct 2013 #18
He doesn't get white Southerners. Different culture than Vermont Yankees. nt geek tragedy Oct 2013 #23
he gets the commonalities of rural, white folks. cali Oct 2013 #37
Attn Southern Dems: Elections Are Every Two Years otohara Oct 2013 #20
Well it wasn't our fault that the DLC got Obama elected.. ananda Oct 2013 #25
Last time I looked, a 55M cross section of Americans got Obama elected! George II Oct 2013 #31
+100000 YoungDemCA Oct 2013 #60
What Sanders doesn't get is that government isn't an economic issue geek tragedy Oct 2013 #26
Exactly coldmountain Oct 2013 #28
This message was self-deleted by its author SunSeeker Oct 2013 #56
you're wrong. that's exactly what he does get. cali Oct 2013 #39
Can you name a prominent liberal white Southerner geek tragedy Oct 2013 #46
The Dems in the south tend to be economic liberals IronLionZion Oct 2013 #49
Virginia barely qualifies as a southern state these days. geek tragedy Oct 2013 #50
Classic "no true Scotsman" response. n/t Tanuki Oct 2013 #78
You just made Sanders point n/t leftstreet Oct 2013 #66
Tim Kaine and Mark Warner westerebus Oct 2013 #67
Warner is not a liberal. geek tragedy Oct 2013 #81
Kaine is DLC as is Warner. westerebus Oct 2013 #93
sorry but I don't buy that... Volaris Oct 2013 #73
Well, Uncle Sam did go down there and end legal apartheid, post TVA. geek tragedy Oct 2013 #80
I think your description is of racists and homphobes and to extend that to all Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #88
There are of course exceptions to every rule. geek tragedy Oct 2013 #91
I love Bernie Sanders, think he's a great Senator, but......... George II Oct 2013 #29
You know, thats a GREAT point! 7962 Oct 2013 #33
not a great point. tomp Oct 2013 #76
I just hope that since dotymed Oct 2013 #30
+1000 MissDeeds Oct 2013 #36
+1 million n2doc Oct 2013 #34
Precisely it's like fighting with one arm tied behind your back or negotiating from a position Uncle Joe Oct 2013 #54
Bring back Howard Dean Arugula Latte Oct 2013 #35
We made progress under Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. bvar22 Oct 2013 #40
Here's what we got ProSense Oct 2013 #48
Start with Kentucky ProSense Oct 2013 #47
Obama made an irrevocable mistake when he abandoned Dean's 50 state strategy. last1standing Oct 2013 #51
k and r nashville_brook Oct 2013 #52
If they're "hung up on gay marriage issues", fuck'em MNBrewer Oct 2013 #55
Im a southern democrat and I agree with you 100, no 1000, no 1000000%! LostOne4Ever Oct 2013 #65
Can we get those guys to vote Democratic without abandoning what they're "hung up on"? Silent3 Oct 2013 #57
I think we need more Southern Democrats at the grassroots level... YoungDemCA Oct 2013 #59
Exactly as our Southern DUers keep trying to tell us here. They exist. Hekate Oct 2013 #63
As a southern democrat I just want to say: LostOne4Ever Oct 2013 #64
As a gay person I did not think Bernie meant any such thing. Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #89
Well said, Bluenorthwest, well said. westerebus Oct 2013 #97
50 State Strategy! Howard Dean was right! NuttyFluffers Oct 2013 #68
Rs have enough money to buy top Ds to stop a 50-state strategy. Festivito Oct 2013 #69
One of the few in congress who really gets it madokie Oct 2013 #71
If it's MORE important to someone to keep their gay neighbor from getting married Warren DeMontague Oct 2013 #72
Social Issues get the red out Oct 2013 #79
Like it or not, the South is the hub of evangelical Christianity in America... YoungDemCA Oct 2013 #82
Very true get the red out Oct 2013 #84
The national Party comes to TX and sucks up millions in donations. hobbit709 Oct 2013 #83
The top members of the Democratic Party cannot keep abandoning those who voted for them. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #87
Somebody Please Get This Link To Senator Bernie Sanders......... global1 Oct 2013 #94
uggh. It's not that simple, Bernie ecstatic Oct 2013 #96
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